Control device



Aug. 29, 1944. A. G; HANN CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 26, 1 940 iNVENTOR war/.1. W 7

u g A,

Patented Aug. 29, 1944 CONTROL DEVICE Albert G. Harm, Detroit, Micln, assignor to-Des troit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 26, 1940', SerialNo. 354,216

9 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid control devices and more particularly to a device for controlling the flow of liquid fuel to a gravity type oil burner. An object of the invention is-to provide fluid I flow controlling means having two control positions and a transitory intermediate position.

A further object is to provide means automatically reducing apilot flame when the main flame is ignited.

A further object is to provide means for controlling the pilot flame to insure ignition of the main flame.

which will be particularly pointed out and dis-- tinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, there is fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawing: I Figure 1 is a, diagrammatic view with some parts shown in section and others in elevation of an oil burning system embodying the invention, and

ber l2 of an oil burner assembly l3. Reciprocal within the apertures 9," is a cylindrical hollowv or tubular pilot valve member l4 and which has a piston tight or sliding flt therein to prevent flow of fuel between the walls and 8 and the valve member I l. The valve member H has a central longitudinally extending aperture or in- Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing in central I spaced walls or wall portions 5 and 6, wall 5 being the lower wall. The walls 5 and 5 are positioned so that the adjacent spaced faces of-each are both below the line LL and cooperate with boss 4 to form avalve chamber 1. The side wall of boss 4 has one or more apertures or outlets 8 there-through leading from the chamber 2 below the line L-L into the chamber 1 to supply liquid 4 fuel thereto. The walls 5 and 6 have respectively aligned apertures 9 I0 therethrough, aperture 9 opening downwardly through the bottom wall 3 and into a conduit II which conducts the fuel which flows therethrough, as will hereinafter be described in detail, to the pilot burner fuel chamternal-bore l5 opening through its lowerend wall and openin through its side wall above the line L-L into the chamber 2. The member I4 also has a small orifice or port l6 opening through its side wall and adaptable to register with the chamber 1 to allow flow of liquid from chamber -2, through aperture 8 and chamber 1 to the bore l5 from whence it flows through the conduit II and to the fuel chamber l2 of the burner assembly l3. The orifice I6 is cooperable, upon movement of the valve member I4, with either of the walls 5 or 6 to control the flow of fuel into the bore l5 depending upon the portion of the area of the orifice I6 which is shielded from the fuel due to its partial registry with the walls 5 or 6. The valve member l4 extends upward beyond the top wall i! of the boss 4' and integral therewith is an arm or annular plate member l8 which is of a size such that it is able to have threadedly secured therein an adjustable screw or stop member I9 which has a downwardly extending portion for engagement with the top wall I? to determine the downward movement of the valve member I4 and'thereby the degree of registry of the orifice l6 with the bottom wall 5. In this manner the fuel flow to the pilot burner fuel chamber I2 is adjustable for any desired fuel flow from zero to the maximum flow of the orifice IS.

The bottom wall 3 has a second opening or port 20 leading from the chamber 2 into a chamber or cavity 2| to which a conduit 22 is communicatively connected for flow of fuel to an annular main burner fuel chamber 23 of the burnerassembly IS. A main burner valve member 24 has a reduced diameter sleeve portion 25 which is reciprocal within theport 20 and due to its piston fit therewith prevents fuel from flow from the chamber 2 to the cavity 2|. The

sleeve portion 25 has a V-shaped slot 28 cut therein with its apex adjacent the conical portion 21. As the valve member 24 is moved upwardly, the conical portion 21 leaves its seat 26 and oil flows into the enlarged diameter portion of the port 20 and then through the exposed area of the slot 28 into the cavity 2|. Increased upward movement causes more area ofthe slot 28 to be exposed to the fuel with a consequent increase in fuel flow into the cavity'2l for flow through conduit 22 to the main burner fuel chamber 23. An adjustment screw member 29 is threadedly secured within a member 35 rigid with the casing and acts upon engagement therewith by a flange 3| rigid with the valve member 24 to limit opening or upward movement of the valve member 24 thereby determining the maximum fuel flow to the main burner fuel chamber 23. The wall 3 has a second hollow boss 32 extending upward therefrom into the chamber 2 and opening above the liquid level line LL. The boss 32 opens downwardly through the wall 3 into the cavity 2| to maintain atmospheric pressure therein so that the only pressure tending to promote fluid fiow is that due to the head of the liquid itself.

The valve members 4 and 24 are each pivotally secured, as at 33, to a bar member 34 which is in turn pivotally secured substantially at its mid-point to a lever member 35. The lever ,member 35 is pivoted at one end portion to a pin 35 which is rigid with the casing and has its other end portion tapered substantially to a point 31. A helical coil compression spring 38, having end members 39, 40, is held under compression between the tapered point 31 of the lever member 35 and a pointed end 4| of a screw 42 threadedly secured in a member 43 rigid with the casing Th pointed screw end 4| is so positioned relative to the pin 35 that when the lever member 35 is in its lowermost position, the tapered point 31 remains above an imaginary line drawn between the pointed end 4| and pin 35. The spring 38 is also so chosen that the component of force thereof urging the lever member 35 in a clockwise direction decreases continually upon movement of the lever member 35 in a counter-clockwise direction so that the initial force necessary to cause movement of th lever member 35 in a counter-clockwise direction is suflicient to move the member 35 completely through its range of movement. Likewise with such a construction, once the force exerted on the lever member 35 in a counter-clockwise direction decreases to a force less than the clockwise force exerted by the spring 38, the lever member 35 will be moved throughout its range in a clockwise direction. It is to be understood that with the addition of suitable springs the point 37 could move overcenter or beyond the imaginary line of centers drawn between end 4| and pin 36. Attention is called to Patent No. 1,841,326, granted .January 12, 1932 to Lewis W. Eggleston. Upward or clockwise movement of the bar member 34 is limited by its engagement with an adjustable screw or stop member 44 threadedly secured within a member 45 rigid with the casing The stop member I9 limits downward movement of the valve member I4 and stop member 44 limits upward movement thereof. Downward or counter-clockwise rotation of the lever member 35 is limited by engagement of the conical portion 21 with the seat 25 and by member 35 and urges it in a counter-clockwise direction. A bulb member 5| is communicatively connected to the bellows member 41 by means of a capillary tube 52. The members 41 and 5| and tube 52 comprise an expansible-contractible sealed system which may be filled with a temperature sensitive fluid so that as the bulb member 5| warms up, the pressure within the sealed system will increase and the movable wall 49 will be urged outwardly to move the lever member 35 in a counter-clockwise direction. Upon decrease in temperature of the bulb member 5|, the pressure exerted on the movable wall 49 will decrease and th spring 38 will act to move the lever member 35 in a clockwise direction.

The'burner assembly |3 comprises a base plate or casting 53 having an annular or main burner fuel chamber 23 and has concentric with the main burner fuel chamber 23the pilot burner fuel chamber I2. The chamber 23 is not connected for fuel flow with thechamber l2 but is mechanically Joined thereto by arms 53 which form passageways for air to pass upwardly through the assembly l3.

A pair of annular or perforated cylindrical members 54, 55 each having one end portion fitting within the chamber 23 and substantially having asleeve fit with the inside walls thereof, have their other end portions extending upwards and capped with an annular ring member 53. The pilot chamber l2 has projecting upward therefrom and substantially sleeve fitted therein a perforated cylindrical member 51 capped by a disk member 58.

In Figure 2 there is shown the three positions of the orifice l5. Numeral l6 indicates the position of the orifice when the pilot burner is operating at a reduced fiame with the main burner operating. Numeral I6 indicates the position of the orifice when the pilot flame i operating without main burner operation and numeral l5 indicates the transient position of the orifice with full or maximum flow to the pilot burner. The flushing action it will be noted occurs at position H5".

The operation of the control device is as follows: Assume that the main burner is operating as shown. The liquid fuel is flowing from the chamber 2, through the port 20 metered by the area of the V-shaped slot 25 which is exposed to the liquid fuel in the chamber 2. The liquid fuel then flows from the slot 28 into the cavity 2| which is maintained at atmospheric or the same pressure which is maintained in the chamber 2 and then flows through the conduit 22 to the main burner fuel chamber 23. The liquid fuel is vaporized in the chamber 23 and the fuel va-.

por passes upwardly between the members 54, 55. The ring 55 prevents escape of the fuel vapors from the top end of the members 54, 55 and forces the vapors to escape through the side wall perforations where they'are burned or oxidized by the atmospheric air which passes upwardly past and through the assembly l3. At the same time the valve member I4 is in its upward position with the orifice l5 partially registering with the top wall 5 so that only a portion of the area of orifice I6 is exposed to the liquid fuel within chamber 1 and a limited flow of liquid fuel passes from chamber 2 through apertures 8, chamber 1, orifice l6, aperture l5, conduit II to the pilot burner fuel chamber |2.- The liquid fuel is vaporized in the chamber l2 and passes upwardly within the cylindrical member 51. The disk member 58 prevents flow of the fuel vapor out of tively small flame is maintained by the pilot burner and Just enough to maintain it in operation. As the medium which may be'water or an enclosed space is heated to the desired temperature, the bulb member Ii whichis in heat exchange relation therewith reaches the predetermined temperature at which the fluid pressure acting on the movable wall 49 is Just sufllcient to cause movement of the lever member 38 in a counter-clockwise direction. Upon initial movement and due to the fact that the force exerted by the movable wall ll does not vary appreciably with change in its position and that the component of force exerted by the spring a decreases upon counter-ciockwise movement of the lever member 35, the lever member 3! will be moved completely through its range of movementwith a quick or snap action. This movement of the lever member II will belimited by engagement of the stop member i! with wall l1 and of the conical portion 21 with seat II and the valve member 24 will stop flow of liquid fuel to the main burner while the valve member ll will have been moved downward until the orifice II is in partial registry with the wall I.

The-

area of orifice l6 exposed to the chamber 1 is preferably greater than that exposedwhen the valve member H was in its up position and so that an increased liquid flow to the pilot burner fuel chamber i! will occur resulting in an increased pilot burner flame whichis sufllclent to maintain the members I4, 58 warm and in a condition such that when liquid fuel is again supplied to the chamber II the main burner will ignite and burn. The heat output of the burner assembly I! under solely pilot fire conditions is, however, not suillcient to overheat the medium heated by the main burner of the assembly ll. As the temperature of the heated medium and consequently bulb member ll decreases, the fluid pressure exerted on the wall ll decreases and the lever member II will start clockwise rotation.

As the member rotates clockwise, the component of force exerted by the spring 8| urging the lever member II in a clockwise direction increases and'because the force'exerted-by the wall 4! does not change appreciably with movement of the wall a, the bar member 84 will quickly and positively be'moved against the stop member ll or into the position shown for the.

first operation described due'to the ignition of the main burner by the pilot burner.

,of the main burner and so that the pilot burner will be prevented from becoming starved at its initial operating times.

What i desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an apparatus for controlling the supply of fluid fuel to a burner, a casing having an outlet. a reciprocal valve-means movable independently of the direction of fuel flow and cooperable with said outlet for controlling flow there- 'through, said means having two positions of rest and an intermediate position, two abutment members to stop movement ofsaidvalve means at said two positions, said means when in one of said two positions being operable to control flow of fluidin one direction from said outlet for a predetermined burner flame and when in a second of said two positions being operable to control flow of fluid in said one direction from said outlet, for a predetermined burner flame, said valve means when in said intermediate position acting to momentarily'control the flow of fluid from said outlet for a. predetermined flow greater than the flow of fluid from said outlet in either I of said two positions, and automatic means to I move said valve means from one completely to the other of said two positions and to hold said valve means against one or the other of said abutment members.

2; In an apparatus for controlling the flowof fluid fuel to a fluid fuel burner, a casing having an outlet, a valve means supported by said casing and controlling flow through said outlet, said mean having irrespective of the direction of fluid fuel flow two positions of rest and an intermediate position, said means when in one of said two positions being operable to'control flow of fluid in one direction from said outlet for a predetermined burner flame and when in the second of said two positions being operable to control flow of fluid in said one direction from said outlet for a predetermined burner flame, said valve means when in said intermediate position acting to control the flow of fluid for a predetermined flow greater than the flow of fluid in either of said two positions, and thermostatic means operable to'move said valve means from one completely to the other of said two positions upon movement of said valve means by said thermostatic means.

3. In a device for controlling the flow of fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a pilot burner, a main burner, a casing having a main burner outlet port and having an outlet connected for flow of fuel to said pilot burner, a flrst valve means controlling flow through said port and operable in a flrst position to supply fuel to said main burner for high flre operation and operable in a second position to change-the supply of fuel to said main burner, a second valve means cooperable with said outlet to control the flow of fuel therethrough and having two positions of rest and atransitory intermediate position, said second valve means being operable in one of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a minimum pilot flame and being operable in another of saidtwo positions to supply fuel at a. predetermined rate for a high pilot flame. said second valve means when moving between said two positions-being operable to supply inlet a high rate above that of either of said two positions, and means for actuating both of said valve means so that when said flrst valve means is in said flrst position said second valvemeans is in said oneposition and when said first valvl! means is-in said second position said second valve means is in said other-position.

4. In a device for controlling the flow of fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a pilot burner, a main burner, a casing having a main burner outlet port and having an outlet connected for flow of fuel to said pilot burner, a first valve means controlling flow through said port and operable in a first position to supply fuel to said main burner for high fire operation and operable in a second position to stop the supply of fuel to said main burner, a second valve means cooperable with said outlet to control the fiow of fuel therethrough and having two positions of rest and a transitory intermediate position, said second valve means being operable in one of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a minimum pilot flame and being operable in another of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a high pilot flame-said second valve means when moving between said two positions being operable to supply fuel at a high rate above that of either of said two positions, and means for synchronously moving said first valve means from said second to said first position and said second valve means from said other to said one position.

5. In a device for controlling the fiow of fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a pilot burner, a main burner, fuel supply means having a main burner outlet port and having an outlet-connected for flow of fuel to said pilot burner, a

' first valve means controlling fiow through said port and operable in a first position to supply fuel to said main burner for high fire operation and operable in a second position to stop the supply of fuel to said main burner, a second valve means cooperable with said outlet to control the flow of fuel therethrough and having two positions of rest and a transitory intermediate position, said second valve means being operable in one of said twopositions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a minimum pilot flame and being operable in another of said two '2'. In a device for controllingthe flow of fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a pilot burner, a main burner, a casing having a main burner outlet port and having an outlet connected for flow of fuel to said pilot burner, a first valve means controlling flow through said port and operable in a first position to supply fuel to said main burner for high fire operation and operable in a second position to stop the supply of fuel to said main burner, a second valve means cooperable with said outlet to control the flow of fuel therethrough and having two positions of "rest and a transitory intermediate position, said second valve means being operable in one of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a minimum pilot flame and being opera; ble in another of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a high pilot flame, said second valve means when moving between said two positions being operabl to supply fuel at a high rate above that of either of said two positions, and automatically operable means ensitive to the output of one of said burners for synchronously moving said first valve means from said second to said first position and said second valve means from said other to said one position.

positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a high pilot flame, said second valve means when moving between said two positions being operable to supply fuel at a high rate above that of either of said two positions, and means operable upon movement of said first valve means to said first position to move said second valve means through said intermediate position.

6. In a device for controlling the flow of fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a pilot burner, a main burner, fuel supply means having a main burner outlet port and having an outlet connected for flow of fuel to said pilot burner, a first valve means controlling flow through said port and operable in a first position to supply fuel to said main burner for high fire operation and operable in a second position to stop the supply of fuel to said main burner, a second valve means cooperable with said outlet to control the flow of fuel therethrough and having two positions of rest and a transitory intermediate position, said second valve means being operable in one of'said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a minimum pilot flame and being operable in another of said two positions to supply fuel at a predetermined rate for a high pilot flame, said second valve means when moving between said two positlons being operable to supply fuel at a high rate abov that of either of said two positions, means for synchronously moving said first valve means from said second to said first position and said second valve means from said other to said one position, and means for moving said synchronously moving means with a snap action.

8. A main fluid fuel burner igniting means, comprising a fuel flow controlling device for supplying fuel to a pilot burner and including means for metering the fuel at a low rate to the pilot burner during operation of th main burner, means for metering the fuel at a higher rate to the pilot burner when the main burner is inactive, and means for increasing the fuel flow to said pilot burner above said higher rate to prov vide a pilot burner igniting flame.

9. In a device for controlling the flow of liquid fuel to a fuel burning apparatus, a main burner, a pilot burner for igniting said main burner, a container having a constant liquid level chamber with an outlet therefrom, a conduit connecting said outlet to said main burner, a metering valv controlling flow through said outlet, a valve casing in said chamber and having spaced upper and lower walls with alined apertures therethrough, the space between said walls being open to said chamber, a tubular pilot valve forcontrolling fuel flow to said pilot burner and reciprocally fitting said apertures and extending from said valve casing to a point above the chamber liquid level, said valve casing having an outlet communicating below the chamber liquid level with the lower one of said allned apertures, a conduit connecting said valve casing outlet to said pilot burner, said pilot valve having a vent above the chamber liquid level, said pilot valve having a side wall port movable into partial closing relation with said upper and lower walls such that said valve casing outlet is in communication with said chamber through said port in all positions of said pilot valve, means to limit the extent of closure of said port by said lower wall, means to limit the extent of closure of said port by said upper wall, and a single means to move said metering valve and to move said pilot valve from its closing relation with one of said walls to its closing relation to the other of said walls.

ALBERT G. HANN. 

